Mechanism for pressing and conditioning fabrics and garments



April 2, 1935. 'F. NIBEEDE 1,996,714

MECI'IANISM FOR PHESSING AND CONDITIONING FABRICS AND GARMENTS Filed 001;. 1'7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 h INV ENTOR L w J4 ATTORNEY$ April 5 F. N. BEE DE 1,996,714

MECHANISM FOR PRESSING AND CONDITIONING FABR'ICS' AND emmmn'rs Filed Oct. 17, 1936 I "s'shets-sneez 2 ATTORNEYS v F, N. BEJEDE 1,996,714 MECHANISM FOR PRESSING AND CONDITIONING FABgIcs AND GARMENIS Filed-Oct. 17, 1930 s Sheets-Sheet 3 a INVENTOVIR A1TORNEY Patented Apr. 2, 1935.

; PATENT orrlcs mxcnsmsu FOB rasssmo arm cosmrronmcrasnrcs AND murmurs Frederic N. Beede, Pawtucket, B. I. Application October 11, 1930, Serial No. 489,447

'8Claims.

My invention relates to a process and mechanism for treating fabrics and garments, and is well adapted for use in connection with garment and/or. fabric steaming and pressing machines 5 embodying a pair of pressing elements one bein movable to and from the other to press fabrics or garments therebetween, such for instance, as that disclosed in the patent to R. G. Beede, No.

1,715,115, dated May 28,

Priorto my invention the methods and mechanisms generally employed in connection with pressing or ironing machines embodyin a pair of pressing elements of the above type, provided for a supply of steam to be forced through or upon the garment or fabric mpported between the-pressing elements, and certain of such mechanisms were further provided with means for drawing or blowing air through the supported garment or fabric after, the movable pressing element, or head,had been raised from pressing engagement with the steam rising from the sucked back buck.- The condensed garment is drawn or through the garment orfabric into .the buck under such method, and the result is that the fabric or, garment thus treated is resaturated, and consequently the threads or fibers re-expand sufliciently to more or less restore old wrinkles and to deform the creases imparted intentionally by the pressing operation. Another result of such method is that the pasage ofair through the garment at atmospheric temperature whiletheheadisremoved from the buck tendstocoolthebuckandthusnecessitatesan increased consumption of fuel to restore the buck to desirable pressing temperature. Furthermore the normalmoisture content of the fabric orgarmen' t'after treatm ent inthe above'mannercanbeapproaimatedonlybyprolongedair treatment,andwhenthegarmentisremoved fromthepreslngmachineandhunglilitodry ittendstolosetheshapeandcreasesintended tobeimpartedbythepressingoperation.

with the foregoing in mind, one'oftheprincipal objects of my invention is the provision of suitable means for controllablyfoznning a mixtm'eofsteamandaiawiththeairusually greatly in excessof-thevolume of-steammixed therewith, and supplying P1 8 usually such mixture from one element to and-through the garment, while the pressing elements are in pressing engagement or inpronmity to each-other so that the desired conditioning or recondition ing of the fabrics and/or garments is had and preserved steamed and/ or pressed,

when the fabric or-garment has been as hereinafter pointed (o ss-a) out, and then subjected to the mixture of air and steam which removes the excess moisture from the fabric or garment as it passes therethrough without resaturating the fabric or garment as occurs in the known methods referred 5 A fabric or garment treated in accordance with my invention when removed from the pressing machine has a moisture. content close to 1 normal and will dry quickly to normal moisture 10 content (controlled by surroundin air conditions) with the thread or fiber and nap conditioned or reconditioned to present a. refreshed or finished appearance and with the. creasing produced by the steam and pressing unim aired, Also by eliminating the resaturation in removing the excess moisture I eliminate thereformation' of wrinkles which occur imderknown methods as above referred to.

The improved valve mechanism having the stated function as here disclosed, is also devised 'topermit theusualinltialpressing andsteamins operations to be performed, and to enable the steam or steam and air supply to be easily and conveniently controlled in different ways, as sufficiently explained hereaften. 7

By providing a method and means for mixing. steamdrawn fran thehead with air at normal temperature (or with heated air), the moisture in the steam is dissipated through the greater volumeof air, andthehighlyaeratedsteam thus, provided is sprayed upon or through the garment (usually while -garment or material may ately after the stated treatmen more natural condition than has heretofore been possible; that is, with the desired reconditioning of the texture and nap of the fabric produced -bysteamingandpresslngandunimpairedbythe. air suction treatment usually resorted to after pressing, as above suiiiciently explained.

In connection with the stated improved features or functions, the invention provides a normallyopenpassagethroughtheheadanditsdistributing chamber, and through the buck, for the circulation of air so that, for example, if suction isappliedtothebuckwiththeheadinpressing condition, an eife'ctive air circulationthrough the fabric or garment maybe obtained. An open passage is-pr'ovided through the buckand its dis- 50 trihutin'g chamber, so that when aerated steam issuppliedfromtbehead, escaping moisturemay nndafree passageoutwardthroughthebuck..

. valve mechanism providin the improved fimctious or treatment processes referred as between the lever-arm inrelation to lever I and arranged to supply lever, and the other fork to the up r and of the Venturi passage 32a. The face 49 of the body about the air-port is finished off flat to provide a seat for the face ill of an airvalve or damper 5 l which is pivotally mounted on a pin 52 in a lug 53 on the body. The damper has an integral lug I4, and a helical spring 85 is placed between this lug and another lug or springsocket 55 formed on theupper end of a lever 58, (Figs. 3 to 7), which is pivotally mounted on stem 52 independently of damper ii and itslug 54.

The valve-structure as a whole .may vary considerably, the principal features being a steamvalve and an air-valve independently controllable selectively steam, or a mixture of steam and air, to a passage such as the Venturi passage, leading to the distributing chamber of the head (or in some cases the buck, as above sufliciently referred to). The operating means may also vary greatly, but in a preferred arrangement as shown, such means consists in associated levers having devices to operate the respective valves, or elements connected to the valves, and arranged for independent or co-operative manipulation, as follows A main operating lever 60 (see Figs. 1, 2, etc., and especially the plan viewyFig. 8) has at one end a fork providing arms la and Nb, located at opposite sides of the valve body andfulcrumed on the ends of a shaft or pin vl'l which passes through a bearing hole formed in the body below the air port. The lug or arm 48, above mentioned, is formed integrally on the fork arm "a of the arm b has at its end, adiacent the valve body, at the side opposite to lug 46, a short upwardly projecting lug or arm 6|, oneface and the-end of which co-operates with lever 58, and the other face or end co-operates with a face 62 of the air-valve or damper ll projecting laterally and parallel to the active valve face 50. Thus the lever-arm I is always located 58 and the face orflange lever 65, is pivotally connected at 66 to lever 60 and may be-of channel section or have a flange overlying lever 80, to engage one end of a spring 81 which is heldin a socket 68 in lever I, tending to move the outward ends of the levers divergently. Lever I has a finger-pad II and lever 60 has a pad ll, these being located close together for convenient fingermanipulation. Lever .has a rearwardiy extending arm terminating in a rounded or cam-like end I2, to co-operate in some cases with the face ll of a flange projecting laterally from the airdamper ll.

Spring ll of the steam-valve acts through the valve, upper face of slot l2, lug, stem 44, and arm or lug 4 6 on arm "a of lever ll, tonormallv hold the steam-valve shut and maintainv the outward end of the, lever and the finger-pad in an upward positiomas in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; and sprin 61 normally maintains the outward end of lever i5 and its finger-pad 'II in an upward position and its pad II, and the rear end 12 of lever in relatively-depressed position. Spring 81 is of less st ngth than spring 4| so'that when the finger-pad II is depressed without first depressing pad II, the outer endof lever B! will move down, and continue with lever I, while the rear end 12 oflever I is moved to a'posltion to co-operatewith face 13 of the air-damper, and thereafter-further depression of pad 1| will cause the lever I to be also depressed, to open the steam-valve, as will appear. .Spring 55 is of suitable strength and 7 the lugs or spring seats 82. Another controllin it and 56 in their most length to normally maintain v 3 separated positions (Fig. 1), and thus to move lever 58 to a position relatively close to the face of the air-damper (in an angular direction) as also shown in Fig. 3, and also to allow for substantial relative. angular movement of the lever and the damper in their various operations, as will appear.

In operation, the garment orfabric being placed on the buck as usual, the head is lowered to pressing position for initial steaming, though of course steam may be applied to the garment while the head is not fully clamped down, as may be desired. The damper is normally in open position, (Fig. 3), affording a free air opening through theport to passage 48 and the Venturi tube 31, so that if desired suction apparatus of steam valve, is depressed, without depressing pad ll, so that the levers retain their-normal relative positions. Lug or arm I is thus moved clock-' wise in Fig. 3 and acts on lever 58 to move it to position of Fig. 4 and in this movement the lever acting through closed pwition, thus closing the air passage substantially before the steam valve is opened; and upon further depression of pad 10 the arm or lug 48 of lever OI acts through arm 45, stem 44, and lug H, to fully open the steam-valve.

The levers and'associated parts are then in the position of Fig. 5. Lever 58 has been moved to its extreme counter-clockwise position by movement of lug ii to its extreme position in the clockwise direction, this further movement of lever 58 after closing of the air damper being permitted by compression of spring 55. It will be noted in Fig. 5 that in the. stated extreme downward position of lever 60, when its pad is depressed without depression of the pad H of lever ii-the latter remains in relatively elevated position, held so by spring 81, and

not contact with flange 13 of the air damper, 'permitting the damperto remain in closed position between the'head and buck. Y

According to customary procedure, the head is then raised'and air at atmospheric temperature is drawn down through the fabric into the buck by suction, with the disadvantages above noted. In accordance with the present improved condispring 55 moves the damper 5! to the rear end I! of the lever does having tioning or reconditioning process. as also above referred to, after the the garment or fabric remains under pressure, that is, with the head still iii-pressing Po tion, I supply tothe distributing chamber and the head initial steaming and while a mixture of steam and air, with a propulsive from the pressure of the steam in the heating chamber, and injector action of the steam iet from the nozzle 3|, and this mix-' ture is forced through the garment and into the buck and discharged therefrom, excess moisture from the garment and ing the very advantageous and improved results above noted. This is done'by opening the steam eflect derived and air mixture, the levers are in normal or idle valve or allowing it to remain open while the air damper at the same time is opened or remains openlif it not previously been closed. The desired valve operations may be effected by dif-- ferent modes of manipulation of the levers. Thus, if the steam lever It remains in fully depressed position, as in Fig.5, to open the air valve and supply the steam and air mixture, it is only necessary to shift one finger to pad ll of lever 65 which then moves to the position of Fig. I, ele vating the rear end I2 of the lever into contact with the flange face 13 of the .air damper and opening the damper, as also shown in Fig. 7, spring 55 being in thiscase fully compressed.

If just previous to the application of the steam position, as in Fig. 3, with the steam valve closed and the air valve open, to supply the stated mixture it is only necessary to depress pad ll of lever 65. As the pad moves down to the lever of the other pad 10, as shown in Fig. 6, with the forward portion of'lever 65 engaging on lever I, the rear end 12 of lever; 06 is raised to engage flange 13 of the damper which is thus held open, while further depression of pad'li causes full depression of lever 80 and the opening of steam valve while the air valve remains open, the parts then being in. the position of Fig. 7.

After steam and air have been forced through the garment for the desired time, the levers are permitted to return to normal position, shutting on the steam supply and leaving the air valve open; the head is raised, and the garment orfabric removed and hung for completion of drying. in a properly reconditioned or normalized state. Excessmoisture has been expelled from the garment while subjected to the steam and air treatment, without possibility of return .of the fabric structure to its pre-preased condition; the moisture content is only slightly above the nor mal content, as determined by that of surrounding, air, and the. garment very quickly dries to normal moisture content condition without up- W setting its conditioning, losing the formed creases,

etc., as above fully explained.

Thisis especially so because the air'andsteam mixture is at relatively high temperature due to the heat of the injecting steam and relatively low humidity due to the proportion of steam to air, sothat the moisturecontent of the total steam and air mixtin'e ism'uch lower than the degree of. saturation of the garment after the initial steaming; whereby excess moisture down to practically the normal moisture content of the garment or fabric is quickly-and efiiciently expelled from the garment upon'passage thereeconomy.

through of the mixture and without recondensation of rising steam, as in the ordinary suction o a Chilling of the buck is also avoided since the air and steam mixture forced through the garment and through the buck is at relatively high temperature, resulting in substantial fuel in many of the different garment pressing operations,- the, steam and air. conditio ing p ration may be performed, while the head is pressed or clamped down, as above referred to, this steam and. air conditioning treatment may also be applied while the garment or fabric isnot under positive pressure, or-while the head is elevated,

I v or is held more orless close to the garment or fabric without definite pressure thereon. Thus, for example, in shoulder pressing. the shoulder aser/14 portion of the garment may be placed on the buck and the head brought close to it without definite pressure and combined steam and air applied to the shoulder by proper manipulation of the valve levers as above referred to. Or, for conditioning velvet fabrics where the principal object is-to raise the pile, the head construction may be inverted-so that the pressing face will support the fabric the same as the buck face does 'whereby the steam and air may thus be driven through the fabric while supported on the buck and without mechanical pressure applied to the upper or pile surface of the fabric. Fig. 2 shows a thin plate or frame located at the face of the airport, which may be employed to support a screen covering the airport area, to clean or filter entering air. This may be omitted in some cases.

Reference has been made above to the action of the lugs carried by the fork arms of lever. 80, when the lever is depressed, to first close the air valve and then open the steam valve.. In the precise arrangement ofparts shown, in which arm 4! controlling the steam valve is in direct,

is fully opened, and thereafter the steam valve may be additionally opened to any by further depression of the lever.

I claim: 1. In garment or fabric pressing and conditiondesired extent ing apparatus, a pressing couple, means associatedwith one member of the couple for supplying to and passing through the garment or fabric and the other member of the couple a mixture of steam and air with the air greatly in excess of the steam by volume.

2. In garment or fabric pressing and conditioning apparatus, a pressing'couple, and associated therewith, means for mixing and supplying to and through the garment or fabric while under pressure steam and air, said means comprising apassage leading to one member of the pressingicouple, and an air valve and a steam valve for selectively controlling the supply of ste'am'alone and'air and steam together to the passage, and a discharge passage'for carrying off air, steam and moisture from the. other member of the pressing couple.

3. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a buck and a head relatively movable for pressing, valve and fluid passage mechanism in the head comprising a steam valve, an 'air valve. means for operating them to supply steam alone or a mixture of steam and air from the head to the buck,.and passages for conveying the stated fluids to, through and away from a gar ment or fabric.

4. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a buck and a head relatively movable for pressing, valve and fiuid passage mech- .anism in the head comprising a steam valve, an air vaive, common means for operating them collectively to supply steam alone, and means for operating, the air valve to subsequently supply a mixture of. steam and air, and passages for conveying the stated fluids to, through and away from a garment or fabric, while between the head and buck.

passage and having a and means for selectively operatingthe valves to 5. In combination with a pressing couple comprising a head and buck, a distributing chamber in one of said pressing members, valve mechanism associated with said one member and comprising a body providing a passage leading to the distributing chamber of said member of the pressing couple, an air passage leadinginto the first port, a valve controlling the air port, a steam nozzle adjacent the point where said passages meet and arranged to direct steam discharged therefrom through said first passage and toward the pressing face of said one pressing member, a valve controlling the steam nozzle, and means for operating the valves independently or simultaneously to effect supply of steam alone or steam with air, which steam or mixture is driven through the first-passage with injector effect due to steam pressure and velocity.

6. In combination with a pressing couple comprising a head and buck, a distributing chamber in one of said pressing members, valve mechanismassociated with said one member and comprising a body providing a passage leading to the distributing chamber of said member of the pressing couple, an air passage leading into the first passage and having a port, a valve controlling the air port, a steam nozzle arranged to inject steam in said first passage and arranged to direct steam discharged therefrom through said first passage and toward the pressing face of said one pressing member from adjacent the lower end of the second passage, a valve controlling the steam nozzle,

'prising a head and buck, a

effect supply of steam alone or steam with air. which steam or steam with air is driven through the first passage with injector effect due to steam pressure and velocity.

"7. In combination with a pressing couple comdistributing chamber in one of said pressing members and means for moving them relatively to pressing position, valve mechanism associated with said one member and comprising a body providing a 'Vnturi passage leading to the distributing chamber of said member of the pressing co'uple, an air passage and port leading to a portion of the passage remote from the distributingchamber, a valve controlling the air port, a steam nozzle arranged to inject steam in said Venturi passage toward the pressing face of said one member, a valve controlling the steam nozzle, and levers for operating the valves, one lever being pivotally mounted and having means to close the air valve and open the steam valve, and the other lever being pivotally mounted on the first one so that its depression also will effect depression of the first one, the second lever having means controlling the positioning of the air valve.

8. The structure defined in claim 7 with the addition of a spring intermediate the levers, normally maintaining the second named leverat its manipulable end spaced above the adjacent end FREDERIC N. BEEDE. 

